In the past, a user's access to applications has been controlled by the use of passwords. Generally, the password provides a user with access to all applications, with certain files, e.g., personal files, financial files, etc. being protected by a second password. More elaborate access control schemes have used access control lists for applications, databases, and systems. These access control schemes or systems have significant shortcomings, including that they are not very flexible for large user systems, users are provided access to applications and/or databases which are outside the scope of their work, and thus a user may disturb these applications or databases, and with password protection, the security may relatively easily be breached.
With known systems and applications, there exist problems with identifying and controlling which version of a particular application a user has access to and/or is using. In some systems, when a user is interfacing with another user, support personnel, etc., often it is required that the user verbally ask what version the other is using. Also in many cases, a new version is simply installed over the top of an old version, and new users access the new version automatically. This presents problems in that, if the new version has a significant bug, then the old version needs to be reinstalled, which is confusing and time consuming. Also, this does not allow the testing of the new version before it is installed to all users.
With known systems and applications, problems exist in moving a particular application from a developer to the system. Typically developers customize their systems. This presents problems in moving the developed application from the developer to the system, particularly in relation to troubleshooting the application after it has been installed on the system. Also, problems exist with regard to transferring the files that are necessary for the application to run. Frequently, not all of the desired files are transferred, or the files are transferred in an undesired format.